Genesis 39

1 Therfor Joseph was led in to Egipt, and Putifar, `chast and onest seruaunt of Farao, prince of the oost, a man of Egipt, bouyte hym of the hondis of Ismaelitis, of which he was brouyt.

Meanwhile, Joseph was led into Egypt. And Putiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, a leader of the army, an Egyptian man, purchased him from the hand of the Ishmaelites, by whom he was brought.

2 And the Lord was with hym, and he was a man doynge with prosperite in alle thingis. And Joseph dwellide in `the hows of his lord,

And the Lord was with him, and he was a man who prospered in everything that he did. And he lived in the house of his lord,

3 which knew best that the Lord was with Joseph, and that alle thingis whiche he dide, weren dressid of the Lord in `the hond of hym.

who knew very well that the Lord was with him, and that all the things that were done by him were directed by his hand.

4 And Joseph foond grace bifor his lord, and `mynystride to hym, of whom Joseph was maad souereyn of alle thingis, and gouernede the hows bitaken to hym, and alle thingis that weren bitakun to hym.

And Joseph found favor in the sight of his lord, and he ministered to him. And, having been placed in charge of everything by him, he governed the house that was entrusted to him and all the things that had been delivered to him.

5 And the Lord blesside the `hows of Egipcian for Joseph, and multipliede al his catel, as wel in howsis as in feeldis;

And the Lord blessed the house of the Egyptian, because of Joseph, and he multiplied all his substance, as much in the buildings, as in the fields.

6 nether he knew ony other thing no but `breed which he eet. Forsothe Joseph was fair in face, and schapli in siyt.

Neither did he know anything other than the bread that he ate. Now Joseph was beautiful in form, and stately in appearance.

7 And so aftir many daies the ladi castide hir iyen in to Joseph, and seide, Slepe thou with me;

And so, after many days, his mistress cast her eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Sleep with me.”

8 which assentide not to the vnleueful werk, and seide to hir, Lo! while alle thingis ben bitakun to me, my lord woot not what he hath in his hows,

And without consenting at all to the wicked act, he said to her: “Behold, my lord has delivered all things to me, and he does not know what he has in his own house.

9 nether ony thing is, which is not in my power, ether which `he hath not bitake to me, outakun thee, which art his wijf; how therfor may Y do this yuel, and do synne ayens my lord?

Neither is there anything which is not in my power, or that he has not delivered to me, except you, for you are his wife. How then can I do this evil act and sin against my God?”

10 Thei spaken siche wordis `bi alle daies, and the womman was diseseful to the yong waxynge man, and he forsook auoutrie.

With such words as these, throughout each day, the woman was pestering the young man, and he was refusing the adultery.

11 Forsothe it bifelde in a dai, that Joseph entride in to the hows, and dide sum werk with out witnessis.

Then it happened, on a certain day, that Joseph entered the house, and he was doing something, without any witnesses.

12 And sche took `the hem of his clooth, and sche seide, Slepe thou with me; and he lefte the mentil in hir hoond, and he fledde, and yede out.

And she, grasping the hem of his garment, said, “Sleep with me.” But he, leaving behind the cloak in her hand, fled and went outside.

13 And whanne the womman hadde seyn the clooth in hir hondis, and that sche was dispisid,

And when the woman saw the garment in her hands and herself being treated with disrespect,

14 sche clepide to hir the men of hir hows, and seide to hem, Lo! my lord hath brouyt in an Ebrew man, that he schulde scorn vs; he entride to me to do leccherie with me, and whanne Y criede, and he herde my vois,

she called to herself the men of her house, and she said to them: “Lo, he has brought in a Hebrew man to abuse us. He entered toward me, in order to join with me; and when I had shouted out,

15 he lefte the mentil which Y helde, and he fledde out.

and he had heard my voice, he left behind the cloak that I held, and he fled outside.”

16 Therfor in to the preuyng of trouthe, sche schewide the mantil, holdun to the hosebonde turnynge ayen hoom.

As a proof, therefore, of her fidelity, she retained the cloak, and she showed it to her husband, when he returned home.

17 And she seide, The Ebrew seruaunt, whom thou brouytist, entride to me to scorne me; and whanne he siy me crye,

And she said: “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought in to me, approached me to abuse me.

18 he lefte the mentil which Y helde, and he fledde out.

And when he had heard me cry out, he left behind the cloak that I held, and he fled outside.”

19 And whanne these thingis weren herd, the lord bileuyde ouer myche to the wordis of the wijf, and was ful wrooth;

His lord, upon hearing these things, and having excessive trust in the words of his mate, was very angry.

20 and he bitook Joseph in to prisoun, where the bounden men of the kyng weren kept, and he was closid there.

And he delivered Joseph into prison, where the prisoners of the king were kept, and he was enclosed in that place.

21 Forsothe the Lord was with Joseph, and hadde mercy on hym, and yaf grace to hym in the siyt of the prince of the prisoun,

But the Lord was with Joseph, and, having mercy on him, he gave him favor in the sight of the leader of the prison,

22 which bitook in the hond of Joseph alle prisoneris that weren holdun in kepyng, and what euer thing was doon, it was vndur Joseph, nethir the prince knewe ony thing,

who delivered into his hand all the prisoners who were held in custody. And whatever was done, was under him.

23 for alle thingis weren bitakun to Joseph; for the Lord was with hym, and dresside alle his werkis.

Neither did he himself know anything, having entrusted all things to him. For the Lord was with him, and he directed everything that he did.